Finke Gorge National Park

FaunaBlack Headed Goanna Clam Shrimp Denham Stick-insect Nasutitermes triodiae Orange Spider Wasp Pied Butcherbird Sand Goanna Scarlet Percher Shield Shrimp Spinifex Pigeon Western Bowerbird – Finke Gorge NP Yellow-faced Whip Snake

One of the dragonfly species that can often be seen around Palm Valley and the Finke Gorge National Park, especially if there is still open water sources around. Found throughout Australia, the Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes) is a striking bright red dragonfly that belongs to the order Odonata.

Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Finke Gorge National Park
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Finke Gorge National Park

It is the mature male dragonfly of the species that are red, that include the eyes, face, thorax and red abdomen. They also have reddish suffusions on the wing base and under certain lighting conditions the gossamer wings appear golden. The female of the species are a yellow-ochre in colour.

Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Finke Gorge National Park
Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes), Finke Gorge National Park

Check out our Insects section for Scarlet Percher (Diplacodes haematodes).


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Odonata
  • Suborder: Anisoptera
  • Superfamily: Libelluloidea
  • Family: Libellulidae
  • Genus: Diplacodes
  • Species: Diplacodes haematodes

Footnote & References

  1. Scarlet Percher Diplacodes haematodes, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations?taxon_id=157759
  2. Diplacodes haematodes (Burmeister, 1839), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:0c6260a5-59f2-4feb-8372-db2138b29fc3

Finke Gorge National ParkCamping & Picnic Area Boggy Hole Palm Valley Fauna Flora

FaunaBlack Headed Goanna Clam Shrimp Denham Stick-insect Nasutitermes triodiae Orange Spider Wasp Pied Butcherbird Sand Goanna Scarlet Percher Shield Shrimp Spinifex Pigeon Western Bowerbird – Finke Gorge NP Yellow-faced Whip Snake